The festive season is here in full swing, and will continue till the end of the year. While it's an exciting time, with get-togethers and dinner parties, it also accompanied by sweets and lavish feasts - that can lead to unhealthy indulgence.

A table loaded with mouth-watering desserts can be difficult to resist, but a fear of unhealthy weight gain also lingers in this period.

However, it’s not too difficult to be fit during festive season. The mantra to remember in order to stay healthy during this time is,“Keep a track on what and how much you eat.”

Follow these tips to stay in shape this season:

- Before a festive brunch or dinner, eat a medium-sized bowl of salad, soup, a veggie wrap or a whole wheat/ multigrain sandwich. This will ensure that your stomach is half-full and in return prevent you from over-indulging when you go out.

- When hosting a party, be wise while setting the menu. Opt for more baked items and avoid fried food. Dry roasting, grilling, shallow or air frying are few healthy versions to cook.

Sparkle And Shine

20 Oct, 2018

What's a Diwali party without snacks while you play cards? But make sure your guests get to binge on something healthy, suggest experts.Healthy snacking is in, so add a twist to your party plans with the following tips from T.K. Banerjee, Food Specialist from the house of Terra Chips and Dipti Motiani, Vice President - Operations, Second Nature Fruit Juices.

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Rainbow Chips Platter

20 Oct, 2018

Add a zing to your party with an assortment of colourful baked vegetable chips made from blue potato, sweet potato and parsnip and see the colours do their magic. The visually appealing chips platter is high on both taste and fitness factor. Don't forget to mix things up with dips on the side. Mayo and ranch go best with vegetable chips.

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​Ditch The Soda

20 Oct, 2018

Ditch your regular line-up of cold drinks/sodas for fresh fruit juices that will invigorate your taste buds for sure. They not only add flavours to the table but are also high on nourishment value. Add mint or lemon to the juices to take the taste level a notch higher.

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Fruits For Fitness

20 Oct, 2018

Slice and dice some seasonal fruits into a bowl and dance your way to nutrition filled shenanigans. Add a few drops of lemon and/or red paprika to sizzle things up.

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Nutty Affair

20 Oct, 2018

High in Vitamin E, nuts make for a perfect party snack. Spoil yourself for taste by roasting a few scoops of different nuts tossed in salt. Add sea salt to the mix to have an extra boost of flavour.

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- Share the sweets! This will prevent any excess calorie intake and you will eat in moderation. Also, decide to have only one kind of dessert.

- Dates and figs are the best options to serve if your guest-list includes anyone with diabetes. They are loaded with natural sweetness without the harmful effects of processed sugar.

- Sip on a cup of green tea after a meal. This will aid in digestion by increasing metabolism, and prevent calories from piling up in the body.

- Don’t sit all day long. Instead, engage yourself in festive preparations, go on a shopping spree. Doing so will prevent the storage of excess calories and fat in the body.

In conclusion, festivals are all about celebrating with your loved ones, so don't stress over your dietary intake. You can still enjoy your festive menu by simply practising portion control.

* The author is a dietician and the founder & CEO of Nmami Life.

Want To Shine This Festive Season? Include These Healthy Drinks In Your Diet

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Kiwi Juice

22 Sep, 2017

- Peel kiwi and cut into slices
- Process apple, celery and kiwi fruit slices through the juicer
- Discard the fibrous pulp
- It is good to drink for a healthy, glowing skin

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Watermelon Smoothie

21 Sep, 2017

- Blend watermelon, mango, sugar and water together in a blender until smooth
- Place ice into glasses and pour the mixture

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Apple Halwa

21 Sep, 2017

- Peel and cut apples into slices
- Grind them in a food processor till it becomes a homogenous paste
- Add ghee, apple paste and sugar in a heated pan
- Wait for the sugar to melt till the halwa turns smooth
- Garnish with sliced almond and serve

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Natural Orange Jelly

21 Sep, 2017

- Put water and sugar in a saucepan on low heat
- Stir until the sugar dissolves
- Sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the water, and stir until it dissolves
- Remove from the heat and add the orange juice
- Decorate with blueberries and mint leaves

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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)

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